They Called Him a Visionary, What Will They Call You?

I was in the middle of a training session with 6 employees last night ages 17-30+.  I had just given them 10 minutes to write down their goals.  The directions were easy:  List everything that you would ever want to have, or to do.  Be creative, be specific.  Dream big.

Some couldn’t dream bigger than their job working in one of my franchises.  Some couldn’t dream bigger than “to be comfortable and happy.”  What does that mean?  You’re 24 years old living in your parent’s house, going to school, and dating a fantastic young woman. That seems pretty comfortable and happy to me.  One dreamed of starting an orphanage in a third world country, and becoming a teacher.  The 30+’s goal was for her and her husband to have a combined income of $40,000.  The exercise just started when I decided to check my email while they were writing for the next 10 minutes.

Steve Jobs Dead at 56.  That headline struck so hard I felt like someone hit me from the back.  I was seriously glad I had a few minutes to compose myself.  A flood of emotions came rushing over me.  It was just a year ago at the end of September that I lost my mom to cancer.  The Dr. told her when he took her off all of her treatments that she had only 8 weeks to live.  My mom and dad then informed my sisters and me that time was drawing to a close for her.  I assume that is what the Jobs family has just gone through.  Steve Jobs knew the end was near, and he stepped down from his post and passed the torch onto someone he knew could lead the company to further greatness.

On my drive home from the meeting it occurred to me, that people like Steve Jobs are far and few between, and that is probably why so many people who are mourning his passing are posting about him as if he was a close friend.  I feel safe in saying that he was a role model to many, a hero to some, and a visionary to all.  In actuality he was a regular guy who loved his family, loved his work, and he set goals for Apple.

What is the difference between a 30+ year old and her husband making less than $30,000 a year and Steve Jobs?  Goals, written goals.  That’s it.  It really is that simple.  What is the difference between a 24 yr. old college student, who thinks his goal is to be comfortable and happy and Steve Jobs?  Goals, written goals.  I am pretty sure as a young man building computers in his garage, Steve Jobs, didn’t think “My goal is to start a company called Apple”, at least not for the first 3 weeks, maybe not the first 3 years, but he had to come up with the idea, and form a plan to get to where he wanted and that is a GOAL.

Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak, said of Steve Jobs last night, "People sometimes have goals in life. Steve Jobs exceeded every goal he ever set for himself."

So I ask you, what do you want people to say about you when you are gone?  Will they call you a Visionary?  I don’t consider myself a visionary.  I am never going to create or even think of a new technology.  But what I am good at, and what I would like people to say about me is: “Jean was funny, smart, and fun.  She was a fantastic business coach, writer, and speaker.  Jean helped me set and achieve my goals, and that’s why people now call me a visionary.”